1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a device for transferring continuous cast slabs from continuous casting strands arranged parallel to and equidistant from one another to an individual production line arranged in extension of one of the continuous casting strands.
2. Related Art
Various devices of the type mentioned above are known.
For example, EP 908 244 B1 describes an installation in which cast strands exiting from two or more continuous casting machines are fed to a rolling installation, namely, by a pivotable guide section aligned with the continuous casting strands and the rolling line on the other hand.
In a plant with three continuous casting strands, this pivotable guide section, known as a swivel ferry, is associated with the middle continuous casting strand and its free end can swivel into the line of the two continuous casting strands arranged on either side of it. The rolling line is generally aligned with the middle continuous casting strand so that the severed slabs arriving on the two side continuous casting strands are received by the swivel ferry, redirected by the latter to the middle continuous casting strand, and then guided forward again into the rolling line.
Therefore, operating three continuous casting strands with one swivel ferry causes a substantial bottleneck in the overall production flow.
Owing to the extensive cycle time, substantially by reason of the time required for feeding the slabs or roughed strip from the outer strands to the finishing train, this finishing train cannot be used to its full potential.
For example, if it is necessary to change rolls in the finishing train, the feed to the continuous casting strands must serve as a buffer. With a long cycle time, it would require considerable time to reduce this buffer.
Further, the middle continuous casting strand is shorter due to the arrangement of the swivel ferry and therefore offers less space for accumulation and buffering.
Because of the two reversals of direction, when transferring to the swivel ferry and when conveying onward to the finishing train, the holding time in the furnace system and, therefore, the formation of scale is increased. Scale loss reduces yield and quality of the product is affected.